Padres Sign No. 21 International Prospect Ricardo Rodriguez

The Padres have signed 16-year-old Venezuelan catcher Ricardo Rodriguez, the No. 21 international prospect for July 2.

At 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Rodriguez is a righthanded hitter who projects to stick behind the plate thanks to his solid catch-and-throw skills, a tick above-average arm strength and good field awareness. Among catchers who project to stick at the position (Miguel Flames of Venezuela is still fairly new to the position), Rodriguez was the best catcher on the market. He trained with Ciro Barrios.